Train pipe coupling device



Jan, 26, 1932. H. F. WOERNLEY TRAIN PIPE COUPLING DEVICE Filed March 10. 1930 INVENTOR HARRY FIWOERNLEY ATTO NEY Patented Jan. 2'5, 1232 when STATES PATENT OFFICE HARRY l 'WOERNLEY, 01E WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE WEST INGHOUSE AIR BRAKE COMPANY, 01 WILMERDING, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORA- TION OF PENNSYLVANIA TRAIN PIPE COUPLING DEVICE Application filed March 10, 1930. Serial No. 434,480.

This invention relates to devices for coupling cars and for connecting train pipes between the cars of a train.

In United States Letters Patent No. 1,571,222 issued February 2,1926, on an application filed by me, there is-shown an automatic coupling device having pivoted latch levers for locking the counterpart coupler heads together, pistons actuated by fluid pressure for releasing the locks, automatic valve devices for controlling; communication through the connected train pipe passages, and a movable slide or contact carrier adapted to be projected by fluid pressure, to establish electric connection between the corresponding circuits on the connected cars.

In the above mentioned patent the valve devices for controlling communication through the. train pipe passages are so designed that when the cars are uncoupled and the couplers part, the valves remain open until the fluid pressure acting; on one side of the valves is reduced below the pressure of the springs acting on the other side of the valves.

An object of the present invention is to provide a train pipe coupling device in which means are provided for immediately closing the train pipe valves when the couplers separate.

Another object of the invention is to provide a train pipe coupling device of the above type, which is simple in construction, and reliable and exact in function under all conditions of service.

The invention also comprises certain new and useful improvements in the construction, arrangement and combination of the several parts of which it is composed, as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying; drawing, the single figure is a diagrammatic view, mostly in section of a train pipe coupling device constructed according to the invention, showins; the same coupled to a counterpart coupling device.

Referring to the drawing, associated with a car coupler 6 is an e ectric coupler contain inn; a movable slide (not shown) which carries a plurality oi electric contacts, the parts of the electric coupler being mounted in a suitable casing 7, only a portion of which is shown.

Within the casing 7 there is a lever 8 having one end connected by a rod 9 to a piston 10 contained in piston cylinder 11. A port 12 leading from the cylinder 11 to the meeting face of the electric coupler is adapted to register with the corresponding port of a counterpart coupler when in coupled position, so that fluid supplied to one cylinder 11 Will also be supplied through port 12 to the piston cylinder of the counterpart coupler.

Fluid under pressure for operating piston 10 may be supplied through a pipe 13 from a source of pressure such as a main reservoir 1a.

For controlling the supply and exhaust of fluid pressure from the main reservoir 14 through the pipe 13, manually operated valve devices 15 are provided. These valve devices are located on opposite sides of the car, near the end thereof, so as to be convenient for the trainman. The pipe 13 also contains a check valve 16 for preventing back flow.

The coupler 6 may comprise a casing having a nose portion 17 adapted to engage in a recess 18 of a counterpart coupler head. The nose portion 17 is provided with a surface 19 adapted to be engaged by a cam face of a pivoted latch 20, for the purpose of locking the coupler heads in coupled position.

The mechanism for operating the latch 20 to effect the unlocking of the coupler heads comprises a piston 21 contained in a cylinder 22 which forms an integral part of the coupler head, said piston being connected to an. operating stem 23.

The latch 20 carries an arm 24 having an anvil lug 25 a-rrangedin line with the stem 23. When the latch 20 is in the locking position as shown in the drawing, the lug 25 is separated from the end of the stem 23.

Associated with the coupler head is a spring box 26 containing a heavy coil spring 27 which engages a collar 28 secured to a stem 29. The stem 29 is pivotally connected to the arm 24 so that the pressure of the spring 2'? acts through the stem 29 to hold the latch 20 in its locking position.

The piston 21 is subject on one side to the pressure of a coil spring 30, the pressure being suflicient to move the piston 21 to its release position, when fluid under pressure is released from the opposite side of the piston. The supply of fluid for operating the piston 21 may be controlled by a relay valve 31 adapted to be operated by a piston 32 in a manner to be hereinafter more fully described. r

The coupler head serves as a coupler for the fluid pressure pipes, such as the main reservoir pipe 33 and the brake pipe 34.

The conduit through the coupler for the main reservoir line is controlled by a tappet valve 35, which is unseated at the final part of the coupling movement.

The conduit through the coupler for thebrake pipe 34 is controlled by a piston valve 36, which is held unseated when the coupler is connected to a counterpart coupler by a tappet 37, mounted in the brake pipe con duit. The piston valve 36 is operated in a manner to be more fully described to cut oil communication through the brake pipe conduit when the coupler is uncoupled from a counterpart coupler.

A brake pipe closing valve 38 is interposed in the brake pipe 34 and is adapted to be operated by a piston 39, the parts being contained in a casing 40. The piston'39 is sub ject on one side to the pressure of fluid in the brake pipe 34, and on theopposite side to the pressure of fluid in a chamber 41 which is connected to the main reservoir pipe 13.

The piston valve 36 is provided on one side with a seat 42 adapted to engage a seat rib 43 formed in the brake pipe conduit to cut-off communication through said conduit when the cars are uncoupled. On the opposite side the piston valve 36 is subject to the pressure of a spring 44 contained in chamber 45. Connected to this side of the piston valve 36 by a stem 46 passing through a web 47, is a valve 48 adapted to seat against a seat rib 49 on said. web, when the piston valve 36 is'seated. The valve 48 is subject to the pressure of a spring 50 contained in a chamber 51. The chamber 51 is connected to the chamber 52 of piston 21 by a pipe and passage 53.

Fluid under pressure for operating piston 32 is supplied through a pipe '54 and port 55, controlled by piston 10, and only when said piston has been moved out its full stroke by fluid pressure.

In operation, when two cars are brought together for coupling, the counterpart car couplers will engage in the usual manner and in the coupled position, the locking levers 20 will assume the locked position, as shown in the drawing. In coupling up, the piston valves 36are lifted from their seats by the engagement of the tappets 37, so that communication is established through the brake pipe 34.

When the cars are coupled, chamber 45 is vented to the atmosphere, through the open ing past the fluted stem of valve 48, chamber 51, pipe and passage 53, through the opening past the fluted stem of the relay valve 31, chamber 56 of piston 32, and vent port 57 leading from the chamber 56.

In order to uncouple, a valve 15 on' one car is turned so as to admit fluid under pressure from the reservoir 14 to the pipe 13. The brake pipe closing valve 38 is then operated by piston. 39 to close communication through the brake pipe 34 and fluid supplied to the pipe 13 also flows to piston cylinder 11. The piston 10 is then shifted rearwarclly to operate the lever 8 in the well known manner.

When the piston 10 moves out to the end ofits stroke, the restricted port is uncovered so that fluid under pressure is supplied through the pipe 54 to piston 32 in the coupler head. opened-by piston 32 to admit fluid from the main reservoir pipe 33 through passage 58 to the piston; chamber 52 and the piston 21 is -moved outwardly. In the initial movement of piston 21, the movement is opposed only by the pressure of the spring .30 and the friction of the piston in the cylinder, so that while the stem 23 is moving to take up the clearance between the anvil lug 25 and the end otthe stem 23, the stem will acquire considerable momentum and will strike the lug 25 with a sharp hammer blow, and the latch 20 is operated to unlock the car coupler and permit the separation of the cars.

Fluid admitted to one piston chamber 11 flows through the registering'ports 12 to the piston chamber 11 of the counterpart coupler, so that said coupler is operated in the same manner as the other coupler as will'be understood.

Since fluid is supplied to chamber 52 tor operating the piston 21 throughpassage 53,

fluid will also be supplied to'chamber 51 of the brake pipe conduit cut-oil valve device, and from said chamber past the unseated valve 48 to chamber 45, so that piston valve 36 is moved outwardly to close the brake pipe conduit, simultaneously with the uncoupling of the cars.

It is to be noted that the check valves 16 are so interposed in the pipes 13 relative to the brake pipe closing valves 38 that when the valve 38 on one car is closed in the above described manner, the check valve 16 on the other carwill prevent the flow of fluid under pressure through the pipe 13 to the chamber 41 on such car, and therefore the brake pipe closing valve 38 on this car will not be closed.

While one illustrative embodiment of the invention has "been described in detail, it is not my intention to limit its scope to that em- The valve 31 is thereupon ltl Jill

tic

bodiment or otherwise than by the terms of the appended claims.

Having now described my invention, what it claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a train pipe coupling, the combination with a movable latch and fluid pressure actuated means for releasing the latch to uncouple the coupling from a counterpart coupling, or a train pipe in said coupling having a. valve for controlling communication therethrough, means for closing said train pipe valve, and means operated by fluid supplied to said latch releasing means for controlling the operation of said train pipe valve closing means.

2. In a train pipe coupling, the combination with a latch adapted to lock the cou pling with a counterpart coupling and fluid pressure actuated means for releasing the latch to uncouple the coupling, of a train pipe having a valve for controlling communication therethrough, a tappet adapted to engage with a counterpart tappet for retaining said valve open when the coupling is coupled to a counterpart coupling, and means actuated when said latch is released for operating said valve to cut-oil communication through said train pipe.

3. In a train pipe coupling, the combination with alatch for locking the coupling with a counterpart coupling and fluid pressure controlled means for releasing the latch, of a train pipe, a valve device for controlling communication through said train pipe, and fluid pressure controlled means actuated when said latch is operated to release position for controlling the operation of said valve device to cut off communication through said train pipe.

4 In a train pipe coupling, the combination with a coupler head having a train pipe conduit, a valve device for controlling communication through said conduit, a latch for locking said coupler head with a counterpart coupler head, fluid pressure operated means for releasing said latch, and a valve device operated by fluid supplied to said latch releasing means for controlling the supply of fluid for operating said valve device to cut oil communication through said conduit.

5. The combination with a brake pipe and a valve on a car for controlling communication through the brake pipe, of a tappet associated with said valve for opening said valve upon engagement with a counterpart tappet on an adjacent car when cars are brought together, a piston associated with said valve and subject 011 one side to brake pipe pressure tending to urge said valve to open position, and manually controlled means for supplying fluid under pressure to the opposite side of said piston, to hasten the closing of said valve when cars are separated.

G. The combination with a main reservoir,

a train pipe, a fluid pressure operated valve devicefor controlling communication through said train pipe, of a coupler comprising a coupler head, a movable lock, a fluid pressure operated device for releasing said lock, lever mechanism for operating electric contacts carried by the coupler, a piston operated by fluid under pressure for operating said lever mechanism, a port controlled by said piston for supplying fluid under pressure to effect the operation of said lock releasing device and said valve device, and manually controlled means for supplying fluid under pressure from said main reservoir to operate said piston.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, this 8th day of March, 1930.

HARRY F. WOERNLEY. 

